Fruit-gatherer.



No. 863,672. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1,907.

I w. E. THOMPSON.

FRUIT GATHERBR.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 22. 190*].

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

qwi/twemeo. WM E TH [1 MP 5 I] N Cliffs mamas THE mamas PETERS cm,WAsHlNamn, Izc.

N0. 863,672 PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

W. E. THOMPSON.

FRUIT GATHERBR.

Lrruoumn nun APB. 22,1907.

' 2 SHEETS-SEEM 2.

I I awuw/toz W w WM E TH MFEUN W Va atfomau o rm: NORRIS PETERS canWASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM E. THOMPSON, OF TECUMSEH, NEBRASKA.

FRUIT-GATHERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed April 22, 1907. Serial No. 369,667.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tecumseh, in the county of Johnson and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Gatherers;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fruit gatherers.

The object of the invention is to provide a fruit gather-er adapted tobe arranged beneath a tree in position to catch the fruit dislodgedtherefrom and to conduct the same to a suitable receptacle withoutbruising or marring the fruit.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind so constructed thatwhen not in use the same may be folded in a compact form.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangements of parts as willbe more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a fruitgatherer constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 isavertical, longitudinal, sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a similar view on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end elevation;and Fig. 5 is a vertical, cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig.1.

. Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a fruitgather-er, which consists of two counterpart sections adapted to bebrought together around a tree in position to catch the fruit shaken orotherwise dislodged therefrom.

The sections of the gather-er are both constructed in the same manner sothat a description of one will suffice for both. At the opposite end ofeach section are end cross bars, 2, which are connected at theiropposite ends by longitudinally disposed ropes or other flexibleconnections, 3, in one of which, midway between its ends, is arranged asemicircular bar, 4, which is adapted to be engaged with the trunk of atree when the sections of the gatherer are brought together in anoperative position. The bars, 2, are also connected together by anintermediate rope or flexible connection, 5. The said ropes orconnections, 3, are connected together at suitable intervals by crossropes, 6, said cross ropes and the longitudinally disposed ropes forminga series of rectangular spaces.

Hingedly connected to the end cross bars, 2, adjacent to their oppositeends are supporting legs, 7 which may be of any suitable length, and areadapted to fold inwardly upon the cross bars when the device is not inuse. Connected to the cross bars, 2, midway between their ends is aninclined brace rod, 8, said rods having a pivotal connection at theirupper ends with the cross bars, 2, and are provided at their outer endswith pegs or spikes, 9, which are adapted to be driven into the groundto hold the frame in an operative position.

Adapted to be engaged with the longitudinal ropes, 3, adjacent to thecross ropes, 6, are spreader rods, 10, which serve to hold the sideropes, 3, in an operative position. Connected to the end cross bars, 2,midway between their ends and below the intermediate ropes, 5, is alongitudinally disposed stretching bar, 12, on the opposite ends ofwhich are arranged segmental racks, 13, and pivot-ally connected to saidends of the bar, 12, are stretching levers, 14, the lower ends of whichare adapted to be engaged with the teeth of the segmental racks, 13,while the upper ends of said levers project above the cross bars, 2, andare provided with hooks, 15, adapted to be engaged with loops, or rings,16, arranged on the cross bars, 2, as shown. By providing the stretchinglevers, 14, the longitudinal ropes of the frame may be stretched andprevented from sagging.

Arranged on the frame-work formed by the longitudinally disposed ropes,3 and 5, and the cross ropes, 6, is a covering, 17, which is preferablyin the form of ducking or other heavy fabric. The covering 17 is forceddownwardly or sagged into the spaces formed by the longitudinallydisposed ropes, 3 and 5, and the cross ropes, 6, to form a series ofpockets, 18, in the center or lowest portion of each of which is formeda discharge opening, 19, through which the fruit caught by the pockets,18, is adapted to pass into suitable receptacles arranged beneath thegatherer.

Arranged over each of the pockets, 18, is a central longitudinallydisposed rope or cord, 20, and a cross rope or cord, 2], the oppositeends of said cords or ropes 20 and 21, being passed through thecovering, 17, and connected to the longitudinal ropes, 3 and 5, and thecross ropes, 6, and bars, 2, of the main supporting frame. Arranged onthe ropes 20 and 2], over the center of each of the pockets, 18, is arectangularly shaped piece of fabric, 22, the corners of which aresecured to said ropes, 20 and 21, while the edges of the materialbetween the ropes are permitted to sag downwardly so that the fruitstriking on said fabric, 22, will roll off the same and into thepockets. The pieces of fabric, 22, form aprons to cover the centralportion of the pockets and serve to break the fall of the fruit droppingover said central portion, which prevents the mairing or bruising of thefruit which would be occasioned should the same fall directly onto thefruit accumulated in the center of the pockets before passing throughthe discharge openings therein. The aprons, 22, also serveto prevent thechoking up of the discharge openings in the pockets by a too rapidaccumulation'of the fruit therein.

In assembling the gatherer for use, the sections of the same are broughttogether on each side of the tree with the semicircular bars, 4,engaging the trunk of the tree, thus permitting the side ropes, 3, to bebrought into close engagement with each other.

It will be noted that in arranging the gatherer in an operativeposition, that the same is supported and braced by the legs, 7, and thebrace rods, 8, so that additional props are not required to hold thedevice in an operative position, and that when it is desired to takedown the device, the legs, 7, and brace rods, 8, are readily folded sothat the sections of the gather-er may be rolled or folded into a neat,compact, form for storage purposes.

While the sections of the gatherer are here shown and described as beingprovided with six pockets each, it will be obvious that the same may beconstructed to provide a greater or less number of pockets, as may bedesired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionmay be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportions and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle, orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent,

is: I

1. A fruit gatherer, comprising a flexible supporting frame, .means tosupport the same in position, a series of flexible pockets arranged insaid frame, means to break the fall of the fruit dropped into saidpockets, and means to stretch said frame, substantially as described.

2. A fruit gatherer formed in counterpart sections adapted to be broughttogether around a tree, each of said sections comprising a flexibleframe having end cross bars, supporting legs hingedly connected to theend cross bars of said frame, a brace bar to hold said frame and legs inan operative position, means to stretch said flexible frame, a series offlexible pockets arranged on said frame, and means to break the fall ofthe fruit dropping into said pockets, substantially as described.

A fruit gather-er formed in sections adapted to be brought togetheraround a tree, each of such sections comprising a flexible frameconsisting of end cross bars, a series of longitudinally disposed ropesconnecting said bars, a series of cross ropes connecting saidlongitudinal ropes to form between the same a series of spaces, means tosupport said frame, a fabric covering arranged over the latter to formpockets in each of said spaces, and means to break the fall of the fruitdropping into said pockets, substantially as described.

4. A fruit gatherer formed in sections adapted to be brought togetheraround a tree, each of such sections comprising a flexible frameconsisting of end cross bars, a series of longitudinally disposed ropesconnecting said bars, a series of cross ropes connecting saidlongitudinal ropes to form between the same a series of spaces,supporting legs hingedly connected to said cross bars, inclined bracerods having a pivotal connection at their upper ends with said crossbars, fastening spikes arranged in the lower ends of said brace rods,means to stretch said frame, a fabric covering arranged over the latterto form a series of pockets in the spaces of said frame, and fruitreceiving and deflecting aprons arranged over said pockets,substantially as described.

5. .L fruit gatherer formed of counterpart sections adapted to bebrought together to an operative position around a tree, each of saidsections comprising end cross bars, a series of longitudinally disposedflexible connections arranged between said bars, transversely disposedflexible connections arranged across said longitudinal connections andsecured thereto to form a series of spaces, a semicircular trunkengaging bar arranged in one of the longitudinal side connections ofeach of said sections, transversely disposed stretching bars arrangedbetween the outer longitudinal connections of the frames, supportinglegs hingedly connected to said end bars, inclined brace rods having apivotal connection at their upper ends with the end bars and providedwith fastening spikes at their lower ends. a longitudinally disposedstretching bar arranged beneath the center of said frame, a stretchinglever pivotally mounted on each end of said stretching bar and connectedto said frame, a rack bar to hold said stretching lovers in an operativeposition, a fabric cover ing arranged over said flexible frame to form aseries of pockets having discharge apertures in their lower ends,substantially as described.

6. A fruit gather-er formed in counterpart sections adapted to beengaged to the opposite sides of a tree, each of said sectionscomprising a flexible supporting frame consisting of end cross bars, aseries of longitudinally disposed flexible connections between saidbars, transverse flexible connections arranged across said longitudinalcon nections, supporting legs hingedly connected to said end cross bars,inclined brace rods to hold said frame in an operative position, meanswhereby the frame is stretched, a flexible covering arranged over saidframe to form a series of pockets each pocket having a dischargeaperture formed in the bottom thereof, longitudinally and transverselydisposed cords or ropes arranged over each of said pockets and connectedto said frame, and fabric deflecting aprons arranged on said cords toreceive and break the fall of the fruit into said pockets, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses,

WILLIAM E. THOMPSON.

Witnesses C. J. CANON, JOHN R. PIERSON.

